Faulty chiller likely cause of restaurant blaze

Nov. 12, 2014, midnight

A FIRE that tore through a popular restaurant and residence is believe to have started by a faulty refrigeration unit.

SCENE: Firefighters inspect the damage after Monday night's blaze. PICTURE: LACHLAN BENCE

A FIRE that tore through a popular restaurant and residence is believe to have started by a faulty refrigeration unit.

Emergency services were called to Spanish and Mexican restaurant Zaragosa, at 10.10pm on Monday with both Ballarat and Ballarat city crews responding to the fire.

Operations Officer Western District 15 Anthony Pearce investigated the scene on Tuesday with an insurance assessor and determined the fire started in the kitchen.

"The consensus is that the fire started from a refrigeration unit by an unknown fault near the compressor or the fan unit," Mr Pearce said.

He said the structure of the building leant itself to the strong ferocity of the blaze.

"There was a lot of fuel in the kitchen including timber-lined ceiling, floor and walls," Mr Pearce said.

"The natural construction of the building allowed the fire to ventilate upward and burn freely and fast."

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Faulty chiller likely cause of restaurant blaze